Getting a new laptop for university

I'm off to university this autumn and would like to buy a new laptop to take with me. I used Windows computers from Windows 95 through to XP. Then in 2009 I decided it was time to switch and try an iMac. Which I love. I've run Windows Vista and 7 through Boot Camp and later through Parallels on here. I've also played around with Parallels and tried Ubuntu and other Linux builds. So I consider myself reasonably versatile when it comes to operating systems.

Now really next year I'd love to get a Macbook Pro. But I also wish to get a newer iPhone-4 or a new model if there's one out. That'd cost quite a bit.

Many of my school friends are getting new laptops, but virtually all are getting Windows laptops. With i5 or i7 processors, 6/8 GB of RAM, dedicated graphics cards with good dedicated memory. 15.6 inch screens. And they're costing under £1000. Some are around £600. Which is less than the low end Macbook Air.

I'm not sure what to do really. Do I get a Macbook Pro or a Windows laptop? The tech specs and pricing favours Windows, but I've got the Mac software already-Office 2011, Final Cut Pro, Motion, CS5.5 and some games. (I've also got Office 2010 for Windows incidentally.)

For my course (Biomedical Science) I don't need stuff like CS5 or Final Cut. I've just got it now as a hobbyist really.

If I get an Apple laptop, I may not be able to afford a new iPhone as well. But if I get a Windows laptop I need to acquire new software. Any reasoned thoughts on the matter that could help tip the balance would go down well.

I'm off to university this autumn and would like to buy a new laptop to take with me. I used Windows computers from Windows 95 through to XP. Then in 2009 I decided it was time to switch and try an iMac. Which I love. I've run Windows Vista and 7 through Boot Camp and later through Parallels on here. I've also played around with Parallels and tried Ubuntu and other Linux builds. So I consider myself reasonably versatile when it comes to operating systems.

Now really next year I'd love to get a Macbook Pro. But I also wish to get a newer iPhone-4 or a new model if there's one out. That'd cost quite a bit.

Many of my school friends are getting new laptops, but virtually all are getting Windows laptops. With i5 or i7 processors, 6/8 GB of RAM, dedicated graphics cards with good dedicated memory. 15.6 inch screens. And they're costing under £1000. Some are around £600. Which is less than the low end Macbook Air.

I'm not sure what to do really. Do I get a Macbook Pro or a Windows laptop? The tech specs and pricing favours Windows, but I've got the Mac software already-Office 2011, Final Cut Pro, Motion, CS5.5 and some games. (I've also got Office 2010 for Windows incidentally.)

For my course (Biomedical Science) I don't need stuff like CS5 or Final Cut. I've just got it now as a hobbyist really.

If I get an Apple laptop, I may not be able to afford a new iPhone as well. But if I get a Windows laptop I need to acquire new software. Any reasoned thoughts on the matter that could help tip the balance would go down well.

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Take your iMac to university? I've hardly taken my MBP out of the house when at University over the last two years as I've had no reason to. It's pretty much always on my desk connected to an external monitor and keyboard.

Your university will have PC/Mac clusters throughout campus and in the libraries so you'll never be more than 10 minutes away from PC access when at university. Keep all your files on dropbox and then you can access them anywhere, be it at home or on one of the University computers.

Take your iMac to university? I've hardly taken my MBP out of the house when at University over the last two years as I've had no reason to. It's pretty much always on my desk connected to an external monitor and keyboard.

Your university will have PC/Mac clusters throughout campus and in the libraries so you'll never be more than 10 minutes away from PC access when at university. Keep all your files on dropbox and then you can access them anywhere, be it at home or on one of the University computers.

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I suppose I could take it to University. But I'm already a bit limited with software choice what with newer games and programs requiring a Sandy Bridge processor or better graphics cards.

And if I chose to take a desktop I'd be pretty well inclined to buy the £999 iMac. That's got a quad core i5 processor, decent graphics and a nice sized hard drive. Plus Thunderbolt so I could get a new portable hard drive with the relevant connections when available in the future.

I use an mbp 13 (at home) and ipad (on campus). there are a whole lot of combinations that will work, and as someone already noted, universities tend to have plenty of computers on campus that you are already paying to use (tuition).

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